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osu1116602044.pdf (639.05 KB)
ETD Abstract Container
Abstract Header
Power and class conflict in capitalist democracy: business contributions, labor contributions, and two decades of legislative influence in the U.S
Author Info
Peoples, Clayton D.
Permalink:
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1116602044
Abstract Details
Year and Degree
2005, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Sociology.
Abstract
What role do special interest groups play in governmental decision making? Social scientists have debated the role of special interests in governmental decision making for decades with little consensus. Three main competing theories emerge from these debates: state-centered theory, pluralism, and elite-power theory. In my dissertation, I directly test hypotheses derived from these theories. Using longitudinal data, I statistically analyze the influence of special interest groups on governmental decision making by examining how Political Action Committee (PAC) campaign contributions influence legislators’ roll call votes over a twenty-year period in the U.S. House, 1985-2004, controlling for factors considered important in roll call voting. Converting my variables into separate legislator-by-legislator matrixes to account for similarities of legislative behavior, I employ an innovative statistical method (Quadratic Assignment Procedure, or ‘QAP,’ regression) that has a proven record of eliminating the problems associated with relational data. My findings show a statistically significant impact of PAC contributions on roll call voting, net of other factors—-including party. This significant impact is consistent across all twenty years. Further, the findings show that big business PAC contributions have a significant effect on roll call voting, while labor PAC contributions are less significant, particularly in recent years. These findings support the predictions of elite-power theory but fail to support state-centered and pluralist theories. In addition to contributing to the debates among social scientists over class, power, and the role of special interest groups in governmental decision making, my research has policy-oriented implications. In particular, the findings imply that under our current campaign finance system the voices of the people could be muffled by the calls of special interests, suggesting reform may be needed.
Committee
Kazimierz Slomczynski (Advisor)
Pages
124 p.
Subject Headings
Sociology, General
Keywords
social class
;
power
;
legislative behavior
;
campaign contributions
;
roll call voting
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Citations
Peoples, C. D. (2005).
Power and class conflict in capitalist democracy: business contributions, labor contributions, and two decades of legislative influence in the U.S
[Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1116602044
APA Style (7th edition)
Peoples, Clayton.
Power and class conflict in capitalist democracy: business contributions, labor contributions, and two decades of legislative influence in the U.S.
2005. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation.
OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center
, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1116602044.
MLA Style (8th edition)
Peoples, Clayton. "Power and class conflict in capitalist democracy: business contributions, labor contributions, and two decades of legislative influence in the U.S." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1116602044
Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)
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Document number:
osu1116602044
Download Count:
729
Copyright Info
© 2005, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.